Canada is a popular destination for many foreign nationals who want to work and live in a diverse and multicultural country. However, not everyone who wants to work in Canada needs a work permit. There are some jobs that you can do without a work permit in Canada, as long as you meet certain criteria and conditions. In this article, we will explore some of these jobs and how you can apply for them.
What is a work permit and who needs it?
A work permit is a document that authorizes a foreign national to work legally in Canada for a specific employer, occupation, location and period of time. A work permit is usually required for most foreign workers who want to work in Canada, unless they are exempt from the work permit requirement.
There are two types of work permits: employer-specific work permits and open work permits. An employer-specific work permit allows you to work for a specific employer, as indicated on your work permit. An open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada, except for those who are ineligible or who offer services such as escort, erotic massage or exotic dancing.
To apply for a work permit, you need to have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, unless you are eligible for an open work permit. You also need to meet the eligibility requirements for the work permit program you are applying for, such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program. You may also need to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), which is a document that shows that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job and that no Canadian worker is available to do it.
What are the jobs that do not require a work permit in Canada?
There are some jobs that do not require a work permit in Canada, as per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) or the Global Skills Strategy public policy. These jobs are exempt from the work permit requirement because they are considered to be of significant benefit to Canada, or because they are temporary, incidental or ancillary to your main purpose of visiting Canada.
Some of the jobs that do not require a work permit in Canada are:
- Business visitor: A business visitor is a foreign national who comes to Canada to engage in international business activities without directly entering the Canadian labour market. For example, a business visitor may attend meetings, conferences, trade shows, or conduct research, negotiations, or consultations with Canadian businesses. A business visitor must not intend to stay in Canada for more than six months, must not receive any remuneration from a Canadian source, and must have their main place of business and source of income outside Canada.
- Foreign representative: A foreign representative is a foreign national who is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) to work as a diplomat, consular officer, official or employee of a foreign government, or an international organization in Canada. A foreign representative and their family members do not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they have a valid passport and a diplomatic identity card issued by DFATD.
- Military personnel: Military personnel are foreign nationals who are serving a country that is designated under the Visiting Forces Act and who have been given orders to come to Canada. Military personnel and their family members do not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they have a valid passport and a movement order issued by their country of origin.
- Foreign government officer: A foreign government officer is a foreign national who is employed by a foreign government and who comes to Canada to perform official duties under an agreement or arrangement between Canada and the foreign government. A foreign government officer does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they have a valid passport and a letter of accreditation issued by DFATD.
- On-campus work: On-campus work is work that is performed by a foreign national who is a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada. A DLI is a school, college, university or other educational institution that is authorized by the provincial or territorial government to host international students. A student does not need a work permit to work on-campus, as long as they have a valid study permit, are enrolled in a program that is at least six months long and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate, and work for an employer who is located on the campus of the DLI. The employer can be the DLI itself, a faculty, a student organization, a private contractor, or a business that provides services to the campus community. The student can work up to 20 hours per week during regular academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks, such as winter and summer holidays or spring break.
- Performing artist: A performing artist is a foreign national who comes to Canada to perform as an artist or as part of an artistic group in Canada. A performing artist does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they meet one of the following criteria:
- They are part of a foreign-based production or group that is performing in Canada for a limited period of time and that is not receiving any funding from Canadian sources, such as a theatre company, a circus, a musical or dance group, or a busker.
- They are performing at a private event, such as a wedding, a birthday party, or a corporate function, and are not performing in a bar, a restaurant, or a similar establishment that offers food or drinks in exchange for an admission fee.
- They are performing as a guest artist with a Canadian performance group for a maximum of two performances, such as a musician, a singer, or a dancer.
- They are delivering a workshop or a seminar for a maximum of five days, as long as they are not teaching at a DLI, such as a choreographer, a director, or a coach.
- They are a street performer who is not performing in a festival, such as a mime, a magician, or a juggler.
- They are a film producer, a film or video reporter, or a film or video crew member who is working on a foreign-financed production that is not intended for distribution in Canada, such as a documentary, a commercial, or a news program.
- They are an artist who is attending or working at an international artistic event in Canada, such as a competition, an audition, or a showcase, and are not selling their services or products to the general public, such as a painter, a sculptor, or a photographer.
- They are a foreign or travelling circus, as long as they are not performing in a fixed location for more than six months, such as a clown, an acrobat, or an animal trainer.
- Athlete and team member: An athlete and team member is a foreign national who comes to Canada to participate individually or as part of a team in a sporting event in Canada. An athlete and team member does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they are a professional or amateur athlete, a coach, a trainer, or another essential team member, and are not employed by a Canadian team, club, or organization. Examples of sporting events that are eligible for this exemption include the Olympics, the Paralympics, the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Cup, the Stanley Cup, the NBA Finals, the Grand Prix, or the PGA Tour.
- News reporter and media crew: A news reporter and media crew is a foreign national who comes to Canada to report on events or situations that are of interest to the public. A news reporter and media crew does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they are employed by a foreign news company, are not involved in the production of a film or a television show that is intended for commercial distribution, and are not entering the Canadian labour market. Examples of news reporters and media crew members who are eligible for this exemption include journalists, correspondents, editors, camera operators, sound technicians, or producers.
- Public speaker: A public speaker is a foreign national who comes to Canada to speak at a specific event, such as a conference, a seminar, a workshop, or a meeting. A public speaker does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they are speaking for no more than five days, are not being paid by a Canadian source, and are not speaking as part of an entertainment or artistic performance. Examples of public speakers who are eligible for this exemption include guest speakers, commercial speakers, seminar leaders, or keynote speakers.
- Convention organizer: A convention organizer is a foreign national who comes to Canada to organize or assist in organizing a convention or a conference in Canada. A convention organizer does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they are working for a foreign organization, are not receiving any remuneration from a Canadian source, and are not involved in any hands-on work, such as audio-visual services, installation and dismantling services, show decorating services, or exhibit building services. Examples of events that are eligible for this exemption include association meetings, corporate meetings, trade shows, consumer shows, or exhibitions.
- Clergy: A clergy is a foreign national who comes to Canada to perform religious duties or provide spiritual guidance. A clergy does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they are preaching doctrine, presiding at religious events, or providing spiritual counselling. Examples of clergy who are eligible for this exemption include priests, ministers, rabbis, imams, monks, nuns, or missionaries.
- Judge, referee and similar official does not need a work permit to work in Canada, as long as they are adjudicating or presiding over a competition or an event, such as a sporting event, a dog show, a beauty pageant, or a music festival. Examples of judges, referees and similar officials who are eligible for this exemption include umpires, linesmen, scorekeepers, timers, or adjudicators.
